







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| How long does the flight usually take? | |
| And on the ground floor we have easy access to the garden. | |
| Do you expect me to make the room bigger by pushing the walls out? | |
| Can your mum handle the situation by herself? | |
| Okay, the total is £36.74, sir. | |
| Of course, oh, there is a half-eaten pizza in the oven. | |
| Hang on, I remember you telling me you never kill animals! | |
| Let me check... Yes, there are some plates. | |
| What does Diego do? | |
| How much are they supposed to pay? | |
| No, no, nothing is wrong, no need to worry, we are all fine... | |
| Sometimes he doesn't even recognize my mum. | |
| Aren't there four of us dear? | |
| Sorry, is it possible to see it this Saturday after 2 o'clock? | |
| Do you have any area in mind? | |
| Until you just light your cigarette. | |
| Do you feel a bit better now? | |
| I think so, at least there is no aggression. | |
| How old do I look? | |
| No, it's not mine, I think it belongs to the house. | |